ahhh, this is like a comparison thing isnt it? We covered this last week in japanese class. Im sure the more experienced members on this forum can back me up on this and give other suggestions, but what i learnt was this;

...........のほうが...........より..............です。

"subject" no hou ga "subject" yori "adjective" desu.

so for the "sarah is cuter than kittens" you could say;

サラさんのほうがこねこよりきれいです。

Sarah-san no hou ga koneko yori kawaii/kirei desu.

The important thing here is the "no hou ga", because whatever you attach to that will be the main focus of your comparison. So keep that in mind.

I remember leaning about "no hou ga" in second year, but it didn't seem like it would be the right thing to use in this situation. The sentence about Galen is the one I need for class, but I put two examples so maybe I would get a better idea of how to do it.

I suppose I mean "something else." It seems to me that there is a subtle difference between these words that is... well, it's like "Japanese thinking" instead of "American thinking".... Let's see if I can explain better than that... -_-

'Omoshiroi' is often used where an English-speaker might say 'fun.' As in "Yuuenchi ha omoshiroi desu." (Amusement parks are fun.) Or even 'funny'--"Sono bangumi ha omoshiroi desu." (That TV show is funny.) Why not use 'tanoshii'? Or, if you do... does the meaning of what you are saying change slightly? In my mind, 'tanoshii' seems closer to 'fun' and 'funny'... but I often hear sentences like these expressed with 'omoshiroi'.

I once asked a Japanese friend what the difference was between "shiawase" and "ureshii" (both can mean 'happy' in English). I was told that "shiawase" is a 'long kind of happy' where "ureshii" is more short-term. I wonder if the words 'tanoshii' and 'omoshiroi' have a similar relationship...?

From the example sentences I've read that use those two words this is what I've understood (these are generalizations):

Omoshiroi is more "FUNNY" - HaHa funny, Wildly Funny, Your reflex (gut) reaction to something... a short term fun/funny/enjoy, it's fun and then it's over.
Tanoshii is more "FUN" - Delightful, a good time, your feelings toward something... a longer term of fun/enjoyment a little deeper/more thoughtful.

I could be wrong...I'll ask around and see what native speakers have to say.

From the example sentences I've read that use those two words this is what I've understood (these are generalizations):

Omoshiroi is more "FUNNY" - HaHa funny, Wildly Funny, Your reflex (gut) reaction to something... a short term fun/funny/enjoy, it's fun and then it's over.Tanoshii is more "FUN" - Delightful, a good time, your feelings toward something... a longer term of fun/enjoyment a little deeper/more thoughtful.

I could be wrong...I'll ask around and see what native speakers have to say.

hmmm...Im gonna ask a friend about "omoshiroi" passing off as being funny because i dont see it that way at all, unless its one of those "japanese logic" situations where one word can share the same meaning as another.

I take things more literal, so when you said "Sono bangumi ha omoshiroi desu", i didnt see it as being funny but more interesting. I would rather use the adjective "Kokkei" (*this is "na" type adjective - "kokkei na" ) for something that is funny or amusing. Its just my personal preference.

Your sentence is good... but is uses "tanoshimu" instead of "tanoshii"... which, I mean, kind of isn't the same thing... but I understand the difference in meanings in the sentence.

I would translate it something like: "The recent comedians are funny, but I don't/can't enjoy them (their humor)." ( Since is says 'tanoshiMENAI' ) In the sentence, 'omoshiroi' seems to mean that generally the comedians are found funny; and then 'tanoshimu' is used to mean the speaker's own personal enjoyment.

But... would 最近の漫才は楽しいけど、楽しめないよ。 make sense as well...? Is there a difference between this and your original? (To be honest, I normally don't hear people as being refered to as 'tanoshii'...)

Last edited by Kates on Wed 11.23.2005 2:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.

楽しい is used more for situations or activities that are fun/enjoyable/pleasing (or not fun... as in the example sentence).

Reading books, telling jokes, watching tv with friends etc.

面白い is used for actual people or things.

The actual book or story, the actual joke, the actual TV show being watched (or the actual friend)...etc.

Or at least that's the impression I get.

So, I don't think you could say that a comedian is 楽しい. But you could say that they are fun 楽しい to be around or that going to see a comedian perform is 楽しい, because you're saying you find it to be an enjoyable activity or situation.

Ah, Japanese, you are so elusive and vague.

OH and as for こっけい (kokkei) that means more like - humorous/humorousness (in general). It doesn't mean "funny" literally.